Name: Café Instanbul
Price for Groupon: $2 for a $20 credit (the groupon was originally $7; David had a referral credit for 5 bucks)
Location: Decatur
Sunday night saw us steering the car into a tiny lot in front of a unique building on Lawrenceville Highway. Sandy brown siding was ornamented with blue and white Arabian flourishes. As we minced our way around puddles, we saw a rag-tag bunch of tables beneath a wide awning. A cluster of people sat around one, blowing hookah smoke out of their noses. I made a face at David. The place looked sketchy. But once I stepped through the door, I realized that appearances were deceiving. While outside, Café Istanbul looked dumpy and ill-reputable, stepping through the door was like stepping off a plane. The inside was covered in rich red rugs. Slim columns held up a cobalt roof spangled with glowing stars. I turned at the sounds of clinking—a bellydancer was undulating in the middle of the dining space, which consisted of pillows and midget tables. It was one part “Big-R, bygone era”
Romantic, two parts pure kitsch, and I was pretty charmed. David and I plopped down on some cushions and picked up a menu. A few minutes later, a more robust (*ahem) woman appeared in front of our table. She introduced herself as something that sounded vaguely like “Namasteza,” which took me aback as she both looked and sounded like someone from Michigan. Just as I was chiding myself for jumping to conclusions again, she laughed and added, “But you can call me Paula!” She then clarified that she was not our bellydancer (David was immensely relieved), and said if we were interested, she was available to read our fortunes. After consulting with our server, David opted with the beef gyro, and I decided on the Turkish meatballs, called “kotjes.” Our guy returned a few seconds later with a basket of warm, seasoned flatbread and a dish of red chili paste. Perfection. It was so good that I was almost too full to take a bite out of my kotje’s when they arrived. But that one bite was explosively good—the meatballs were a little better down than I thought I’d like, but the smoky flavor really enhanced the combination of herbs and spices flavoring the meat. When mixed with the garlicky, buttery rice below, with a forkful of red cabbage and lettuce on the side, each bite was better than the last. David scarfed both gyros in record time, though I had enough leftovers to save for (a very fulfilling) lunch the next day. Our server even walked us to the door, refusing to let me carry my bagged dinner!
Name: Treehouse Pub
Romantic, two parts pure kitsch, and I was pretty charmed. David and I plopped down on some cushions and picked up a menu. A few minutes later, a more robust (*ahem) woman appeared in front of our table. She introduced herself as something that sounded vaguely like “Namasteza,” which took me aback as she both looked and sounded like someone from Michigan. Just as I was chiding myself for jumping to conclusions again, she laughed and added, “But you can call me Paula!” She then clarified that she was not our bellydancer (David was immensely relieved), and said if we were interested, she was available to read our fortunes. After consulting with our server, David opted with the beef gyro, and I decided on the Turkish meatballs, called “kotjes.” Our guy returned a few seconds later with a basket of warm, seasoned flatbread and a dish of red chili paste. Perfection. It was so good that I was almost too full to take a bite out of my kotje’s when they arrived. But that one bite was explosively good—the meatballs were a little better down than I thought I’d like, but the smoky flavor really enhanced the combination of herbs and spices flavoring the meat. When mixed with the garlicky, buttery rice below, with a forkful of red cabbage and lettuce on the side, each bite was better than the last. David scarfed both gyros in record time, though I had enough leftovers to save for (a very fulfilling) lunch the next day. Our server even walked us to the door, refusing to let me carry my bagged dinner!Name: Treehouse Pub
Price for Groupon: $8 for $20
Location: Buckhead
Google told me Treehouse Pub was in Buckhead, a notoriously swanky/fratty/Beamer-heavy neighborhood in Atlanta. In prior experiences, David and I had showed up to dinner obviously (and uncomfortably) underdressed. So when we walked up to Treehouse (David in a button-up and khaki shorts, and me in a maxi dress and heels), we were pleasantly surprised at what we saw. Treehouse is aptly named—it looks like a grown-up version of a well-loved neighborhood playspace. The majority of the seating it outside on a massive veranda, which is overhung with hanging 
plants, colorful pots, birdhouses, and windchimes. On the night we went for dinner, they even had misters going, which increased the fairy-tale/Peter Pan fantasy ambiance. We took a seat under a red canvas umbrella, made friends with the dog at the next table (Treehouse is very dog-friendly), and were served water by someone I’d previously though was a fellow patron. Their wait staff is incredibly casual—they have no uniforms, but seem encouraged to wear “conversation starting” tee shirts (one waitress had a Cookie Monster shirt on), and though the service was prompt, no one seemed rushed or stressed. It was a very lazy, relaxed vibe that melded perfectly with the porch style dining. One glance at the menu and we immediately saw what we wanted to order. For $8, Treehouse offers a California burger, which comes with a ½ lb patty, jalapenos, guacamole, and mozzarella cheese, along with a generous portion of fries. I’ll be honest, the fries weren’t anything to write home about, even when I dipped them in guac. But the burger was other-worldly good. Tender, juicy, spicy, smooth… I don’t think we said one word to each other during dinner, we were so intent on finishing our food. We liked this place so much I bought another groupon and we came not a week later, this time with friends in tow.
plants, colorful pots, birdhouses, and windchimes. On the night we went for dinner, they even had misters going, which increased the fairy-tale/Peter Pan fantasy ambiance. We took a seat under a red canvas umbrella, made friends with the dog at the next table (Treehouse is very dog-friendly), and were served water by someone I’d previously though was a fellow patron. Their wait staff is incredibly casual—they have no uniforms, but seem encouraged to wear “conversation starting” tee shirts (one waitress had a Cookie Monster shirt on), and though the service was prompt, no one seemed rushed or stressed. It was a very lazy, relaxed vibe that melded perfectly with the porch style dining. One glance at the menu and we immediately saw what we wanted to order. For $8, Treehouse offers a California burger, which comes with a ½ lb patty, jalapenos, guacamole, and mozzarella cheese, along with a generous portion of fries. I’ll be honest, the fries weren’t anything to write home about, even when I dipped them in guac. But the burger was other-worldly good. Tender, juicy, spicy, smooth… I don’t think we said one word to each other during dinner, we were so intent on finishing our food. We liked this place so much I bought another groupon and we came not a week later, this time with friends in tow.
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